Oral Histories
Many times, our elderly family members supply us with details from their lives or the lives of their parents, etc. Here I have listed some of the information given orally.
Concerning Emma Lou Cross Goss as told to Dena Herbert by Clara Yvonne Goss, d/o Emma.
NOTES added by Dena for clarification. The family moved to Washington State when Clara was 5 years old. She is the only survivor in this family now.
Things my sister, Lilly Mae Goss, told me at Kalispell, Montana, about our family:
Clara born at the Beam place (that’s on the Goss side).
Lilly worked at the Telephone Office.
Old home place was in New Caney in Montogomery County, Texas where Lilly was born May 31, 1909.
Lilly was abt. 12 when they moved back to the Beam place. Robert Damron Goss was born in Moonshine Hill, Texas.
Lilly was married at 18 to Willis Waterman.
When Lilly was a little girl, they lived at Dry Creek ( I don’t know where that would be.) They moved to another county where the house blew over. There was a big swamp off to the right. They heard an awful noise from the swamp and figured it was an alligator.
When they were in Texas and moving to Arkansas a cousin, Jack Saddler and his wife went with them. Her rocking chair, trunk full of stuff, & moms bedspread, ect… she never saw any of it again. Were suppose to be sent, left them with Uncle Ben (Ben from Goss side?).
When Jay and Sis (Lilly) went down there, Jewel and Lula lived a short distance but they would not come and see her (who’s Jay? Lula and Jewel on Goss side).
Earlier when they were on the road to Arkansas, Jack Saddler doctored Sis (Lilly) whith herbs and she got well.
Their sister, Elizabeth, died when she was 4 yrs. old (Elizabeth is the afore mentioned Hulda Jane Elizabeth). They got into Pecan area in Texas.
Jack Saddler was mothers 1st cousin. Don’t know who his parents were. His wife was white. [perhaps this should read: his wife was a White, as in a surname?]
Alvin Saddler was a son or step son.
Sis (Lilly) was fishing & something pulled her pole in, and mom grabbed her. Saddlers boiled their fish, guts and all. This was along the San Jacinto River in Texas. Uncle Vess (from the Goss side) and Uncle George (from the Goss side) were there.
On the trip to Arkansas they worked in cotton fields. Lived in a house where a man was killed. They slept on the floor and heard a noise Robert Goss got up and found a chicken snake crawling across the plates.
Woods used to be filled with gardenias but no more.
They went back to Livingston [Polk Co., TX] & Dad was blind because of sore eyes. It was winter time. Mother & sis (Lilly) packed pine knots for wood.
A family of negros below where they lived. They were short on groceries & 2 big negro women brought them some food. One of these ladies & mom would talk politics. They moved. Mom had an Uncle Tom & Uncle General, at Livingston, Texas.
Lived in a Circus tent. Uncle Tom lived with them. Wash tub turned upside down w/hole cut in center to cook on. A storm came & hail came & broke the ropes holding the tent up. Tent fell. Uncle Tom had very bad legs. May have been cancer, she thinks because they stunk.
They got back to Louisiana. They lived close to someone selling milk. John Higgins was a mean step dad to Emma.